INTRODUCTION
Do you sometimes find life is so difficult you wonder if it is worth believing and running to the very end? Do you ever think the journey is too hard and wonder if you are the only one going through this situation? Do you ever feel like giving up?
Turn to Deuteronomy 33: This is normally referred to as the ‘Second law’ because here, Moses rehearses the laws given between Exodus and Numbers to the children of Israel. At this stage, three of Israel’s tribes are carrying a curse – Reuben, Simeon and Levi. So we have Moses about to die and as a prophet he speaks forth a blessing over the tribes. In the process, the curse over Reuben and Levi are broken. Unfortunately, Simeon is missing from this list because there is no record of him repenting. And eventually his tribe becomes scattered and added to another tribe.
But today we want to look at the blessing over Asher.
Deuteronomy 33:24-29:
I wish I could promise you that you will never face any troubles as a Christian and that everything will run smoothly till you die. Unfortunately God’s school of maturity does not work that way. We live in days the bible calls the last days when difficult things are bound to happen. In fact the bible says men’s hearts will fail them for fear of the things that are coming upon the earth and we are told perilous times will come. In your own life, you will face conflict; pain and difficulty at different levels of intensity we need certain keys to remain steadfast and stay in God’s will.
Asher (means Happy) and was blessed with
i. Favour – acceptable to his brothers;
ii. Fruitfulness – children;
iii. Anointing – fatness, dip his foot in oil for the purpose of enduring;
iv. Strong defence – protection;
v. Continuous strength – consistency and hence the subject “STRENGTH FOR CRISIS TIMES”
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
On the first Sunday in 2011, God me a prophetic word to the church that there will battles to fight, mountains to climb and giants to confront and that we needed to fight for the things that matter most, our family, children and God will give victory. It’s always easier said than done. That year turned out to be one of the most difficult and challenging for me on several fronts. A few weeks afterwards, I was breaking bread and I was led to another scripture which I read to the whole church from PSALM 112: 4-8. Little did I know that the next bad news was coming: It was like a baptism of fire. However, though these facts could not be denied, the truth I discovered was that God gives strength to match the circumstance and strength to go to the very end still strong even if you feel like giving up.
CASE STUDY – CALEB; Joshua 14:6-14
Caleb waited for 40 years to obtain his inheritance and his strength did not fail but matched his days in terms of duration and the conflict he faced i.e. the giants. How did he manage to keep his strength to last all his life and to be able to face the circumstances of his day? (Please endeavour to read the verses yourself again and again till they sit deep within your soul).
Two famous scriptures from Isaiah and Lamentations, which I have quoted verbatim from the New International Version are worth noting.
Isaiah 40: 25-31;
“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”.
Lamentations 3:16-25
“He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust. 17 I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. 18 So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD.” 19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD”.
If you have become stuck at one place due to discouragement, tiredness, fatigue and confronting one problem to the next it’s my prayer that you receive strength to match the trouble and be able to finish your assignment. May your dream never die. When your troubles are over and God has granted your desires may you still have strength so your success does not destroy you. That is why you need to wait on God all the time to renew your strength. Don’t depend on yesterday’s anointing. The reason is His grace and mercies are new every morning and we need to draw from his vast resources continuously so we can stay the course, finish the race and complete our assignment.
Back to the question we asked at the beginning:
Do you ever feel like giving up? Is the journey become too burdensome? Well God’s word to you is: receive blessing that will make your heart steadfast to keep believing and feet strong as iron to keep going. The blessing spoken over Asher can be a source of encouragement and an anchor in times of difficulty.
Moses said, "as your days are, so shall your strength be". In other versions, it says "your strength shall equal your days". This was not just to overcome a curse but to equip his tribe to face the giants of Canaan. You can have strength in various life situations that will turn out for good.
Do you find yourself in a mess? It might well turn out to become your life’s MESSAGE
Are you being tested? That could turn out to become your TESTIMONY
Are you facing trials and tribulations? You will certainly TRIUMPH over them
Are you being victimised? Your VICTORY could be just around the corner.
Is life and your relationships turning out to be too bitter for you? Don’t give up; things are getting BETTER for you.
But the story does not end there in verse 25. Deuteronomy 33: 26-27 gets even more exciting
It gives the picture of someone almost reaching breaking point, what we call rock bottom. We used to sing the song, “he that is down needs fear no fall”, which is not entirely biblical but sometimes we cannot help feeling that way.
The bible says in these verses
“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty. 27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms……”
The picture is of a powerful king responding to a cry for help from one of his subjects in full regalia as if it was an official event or even on a war chariot. This is humbling but also empowering. And what does he do?
Two Hebrew words are used to describe God’s intervention in our situation.
min (among, with)
tachath (bottom, below).
Do you feel alone and deserted? God is prepared to be in among the troubles with you. You’ve probably heard Mary Stevenson’s poem titled “FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND” as reproduced below
“One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along
the beach with the Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed
two sets of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to him and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the
very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life there is
only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when I needed you most
you would leave me."
The Lord replied "My precious, precious child,
I love you and would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints in the sand,
it was then that I carried you."
Do you feel you have hit rock bottom? Well, actually you have not because it says underneath you are the everlasting arms of a loving Father, and touching the bottom for you.
God will give you strength to carry on and carry you in the most intense moments of the storm. So do not give up.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO?
1. Keep walking in the anointing. Remain close to the Holy Spirit; He is our Helper and Comforter.
2. Keep rejoicing Habakkuk 3:17-19, the joy of the Lord is your strength.
3. Follow God wholeheartedly like Caleb and wait on the Lord daily. Don’t depend on yesterday’s anointing.
4. Remember God is always there with you in the pit, the prison and in the palace like Joseph.
CONCLUSION
The words in Hebrews 10:35-39, is a good place to finish.
“32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. “35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous[b] one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved”.
An old hymn related to these verses always reminds me of this fact.
"Will your anchor hold in the storms of life
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain"?
CHORUS
"We have an anchor that keeps the soul,
Steadfast and sure while the billows row,
Fastened to the rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviours love".
MAY YOU REMAIN STRONG EVEN IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS
God richly bless you
